Experience: The ideal candidate will have 4-6 years’ experience and will be ACA, ACCA qualified

Role: The role involves responsibility for the effective development and management of the school’s financial resources and for all financial and accounting matters within the school. Reporting directly to the Business Manager this is a key role within the Support Staff and provides management and finance support for all aspects of school operations, exciting key projects and for the further development of the financial and commercial aspects of the school. Core duties include the provision of financial and management information, maintaining financial records, management of the fee ledger and the development of the five year budget. This includes the preparation of management accounts and financial statements, maintenance of accounting records, statutory reporting and managing a small team running the financial operations of the School.

Overall:

· Supervise the Accounts Department, including:

· Advising on optimal staffing of the department

· Conducting annual appraisals of staff

· Setting department objectives

· To investigate and promote ways of improving financial efficiency including introduction of improvements to the accounting software and technology

· To maintain analyses of costs and other statistical financial records and provide input to financial benchmark surveys

· To ensure effective review of selected financial publications and provide recommendations to the Business Manager

· To be responsible and ensure compliance with relevant regulations including but not limited to PAYE, VAT etc

· To act as financial controller with the following areas of responsibility:

· All accounting functions including nominal, purchase and fee ledgers as well as payroll

· The accurate and timely production of management and financial accounts for the school and other related entities

· The preparation of and general advice on financial policy

· Preparing management reports

· To prepare internal financial and management reports and briefing papers for the Head/SLT/Governors and others as required

· Revenue recognition for accrued and deferred income and expenses mainly at the end of each term

· To oversee the operation and administration of the Advanced Fees Scheme

· To ensure accurate and current fixed asset register maintained

· To be responsible for accurate and timely tax returns and with professional advice where necessary, preparing papers recommending options for mitigating potential VAT and any other tax liabilities

Period End Closure:

· Lead the co-ordination and delivery by the Finance team of accurate, compliant and timely term-end closure – each school term is 4 months

· Provide timely and accurate information to the Business Manager in respect of financial summaries, variances and other financial analysis as required

· Filing of statutory accounts and other returns relevant to financial year-end to agreed timescales

· Provision of financial information to the external auditors to ensure successful completion of interim and year-end audits such that there are no material control issues or accounting errors identified through the audit process

· Provision of financial information to the Head, Business Manager and Governors as required

Management and Financial Accounting and Control - Lead the management of the structures and processes required for an effective financial control and policy framework including

· Preparation of termly management accounts to agreed standards

· Maintaining a nominal ledger coding structure to optimally deliver appropriate local and group financial reporting transparency with minimum complexity

· Maintaining a full awareness across the accounting team of financial policies, ensuring that processes are fully compliant

· Local Financial policies are in place and appropriate to the operations and needs of the business, addressing any deficiencies or gaps by establishing, implementing and communicating new policies and policy changes to stakeholders within the organisation

Overall financial controls employed within the Finance function and wider businesses are effective, fit for purpose and understood. This entails the regular and on-going assessment of current financial controls and the establishment, implementation and communication of new and enhanced controls to key stakeholders

Forecasting - assist the Business Manager in preparing forecast and budget information.

Knowledge

· Sound knowledge of SAGE highly desirable

· An understanding of accounting within schools desirable

This non-contractual job description is not necessarily a comprehensive definition of the post. It will be reviewed at least once every two years (as part of the appraisal process) and it may be subject to modification or amendment at any time after consultation with the holder of the post.

The School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

The post holder’s responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young persons for whom he/she is responsible, or with whom he/she comes into contact will be to adhere to and ensure compliance with the school’s Child Protection Policy Statement at all times.

If in the course of carrying out the duties of the post, the post-holder becomes aware of any actual or potential risks to the safety or welfare of children in the school, he/she must report any concerns to the Head